A time to tidy

Hard at work again trying to keep my music under control. I often say that I buy music the way some women buy shoes, and certainly never tire of a new purchase. It’s all there- the thrill of the hunt, the excitement of the purchase, and of course the joy of discovering what this new music is all about. Ah, the possibilities!

I do love ordering music from overseas as well, when anticipation is heightened by the wait for the postal system to do its thing. Then, almost unexpectedly, it arrives one day in the letter box.

And oh, the fun of opening the parcel and the savouring of the look and feel of the score. It’s just like Christmas. Or maybe I need to get out more…

I have to say though that I do love the convenience of online downloads, especially when it comes to wedding requests. Very, very easy. Very, very convenient. But then there is that whole issue of instant gratification. It just doesn’t feel as exciting as waiting for an order to come.

Now I really must explain to readers in faraway climes that the harp world is Melbourne is small. Really small. So the option of popping down the street to the local neighbourhood music store and picking up a copy of the Britten Suite for Harp just doesn’t happen. Which is very annoying. And not just because we always have to wait for our music- as I said above that can be the fun part. But we here in Melbourne miss out on the chance to browse. To potter. To flick through and get a feel for a piece.

Nope- it’s pot luck everytime.

Once the music actually arrives there is of course a strong feeling of trepidation. What is this thing like? So it’s off to the harp for a bit of a play through, a chance to feel under the fingers what the music is all about. Will it suit the purpose for which it was bought? Or will it sit on the shelf a while waiting for the perfect performance opportunity?

But sitting on the shelf can actually be a bit of a problem. I am inclined to get a bit carried away when putting a programme together or when referring to different music while teaching, and it all gets pulled off the shelf. Putting it back on the shelf always seems so much harder and nowhere near as much fun!

And so my beloved piles of music develop, and try as I might they just keep growing. But like a man in his shed, I do know where everything is. Really…